flat HONDA ODYSSEY 2012 RB3-RB4 / 4.G Owners Manual

ContentsThis owner’s manual should be considered a permanent part of the
vehicle and should remain with the vehicle when it is sold.
This owner’s manual covers all models of your vehicle. You may find
descriptions of equipment and features that are not on your
particular model.
Images throughout this owner’s manual (including the front cover)
represent features and equipment that are available on some, but
not all, models. Your particular model may not have some of these
features.
This owner’s manual is for vehicles sold in the United States and
Canada.
The information and specifications included in this publication were
in effect at the time of approval for printing. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
reserves the right, however, to discontinue or change specifications
or design at any time without notice and without incurring any
obligation.
2Safe Driving P. 25For Safe Driving P. 26 Seat Belts P. 30 Airbags P. 392Instrument Panel P. 71Indicators P. 72 Gauges and Displays P. 862Controls P. 107Setting the Clock P. 108 Locking and Unlocking the Doors P. 110
Security System P. 134 Opening and Closing the Windows P. 137
Adjusting the Mirrors P. 152
Heating and Cooling
* P. 183
2Features P. 193Audio System P. 194 Audio System Basic Operation P. 197
Rear Entertainment System
* P. 241 HomeLink
® Universal Transceiver
* P. 257
2Driving P. 285Before Driving P. 286 Towing a Trailer P. 291
Rearview Camera
* P. 323 Refueling P. 325
2Maintenance P. 331Before Performing Maintenance P. 332 Maintenance Minder™ P. 335
Checking and Maintaining Wiper Blades P. 366
Remote Control and Wireless Headphone Care
* P. 382
2Handling the Unexpected P. 389Tools P. 390 If a Tire Goes Flat P. 391
Overheating P. 404 Indicator, Coming On/Blinking P. 406
When You Cannot Open or Close the Tailgate P. 4182Information P. 419Specifications P. 420 Identification Numbers P. 422
Warranty Coverages P. 427 Authorized Manuals P. 429

20Quick Reference Guide
Handling the Unexpected
(P389)
Flat Tire
(P391)
●Park in a safe location and replace the
flat tire with the compact spare tire in
under the floor between the front seats
and the second row seats.
Indicators Come On (P 406)
●Identify the indicator and consult the
owner's manual.
Engine Won't Start (P400)
●If the battery is dead, jump start using a
booster battery.Blown Fuse
(P411)
●Check for a blown fuse if an electrical
device does not operate.
Overheating
(P404)
●Park in a safe location. If you do not see
steam under the hood, open the hood,
and let the engine cool down.
Emergency Towing (P417)
●Call a professional towing service if you
need to tow your vehicle.

uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts
32Safe Driving
The front seats are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners to enhance safety.
The tensioners automatically tighten the front seat belts during a moderate-to-
severe frontal collision, sometimes even if the collision is not severe enough to
inflate the front airbags.■
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
1Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
The seat belt tensioners can only operate once.
If a tensioner is activated, the SRS indicator will come
on. Have a dealer replace the tensioner and
thoroughly inspect the seat belt system as it may not
offer protection in a subsequent crash.
During a moderate-to-severe side impact, the
tensioner on that side of the vehicle also activates.

37
uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
Safe Driving
If you are pregnant, the best way to protect yourself and your unborn child when
driving or riding in a vehicle is to always wear a seat belt and keep the lap part of the
belt as low as possible across the hips.■
Advice for Pregnant Women
1Advice for Pregnant Women
Each time you have a checkup, ask your doctor if it is
okay for you to drive.
To reduce the risk of injuries to both you and your
unborn child that can be caused by an inflating front
airbag:•When driving, sit upright and adjust the seat as far
back as possible while allowing full control of the
vehicle.•When sitting in the front passenger's seat, adjust
the seat as far back as possible.
Wear the shoulder belt
across the chest avoiding
the abdomen.
Wear the lap part of the
belt as low as possible
across the hips.

40
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
The front, front side, and side curtain
airbags are deployed according to the
direction and severity of impact. The airbag
system includes:a
Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
front airbags. The driver's airbag is stored
in the center of the steering wheel; the
front passenger's airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked "SRS
AIRBAG."
b
Two side airbags, one for the driver and
one for a front passenger. The airbags are
stored in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked "SIDE AIRBAG."
c
Two side curtain airbags, one for each
side of the vehicle. The airbags are stored
in the ceiling, above the side windows.
The front and rear pillars are marked
"SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG."
d
An electronic control unit that continually
monitors and records information about
the sensors, the airbag activators, the
seat belt tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the ignition
switch is in ON
(w
.
e
Automatic front seat belt tensioners. The
driver's and front passenger's seat belts
incorporate sensors that detect whether
or not they are fastened.
f
A driver's seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.
g
Weight sensors in the front passenger's
seat. The front passenger's airbag will be
turned off if the weight on the seat is 65
lbs (29 kg) or less (the weight of an infant
or small child).
h
Impact sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front or side collision.
i
An indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger's front
airbag has been turned off.
j
Sensors that can detect if a child or small
statured adult is in the deployment path
of the front passenger's side airbag.
k
An indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possible problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
l
An indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you that the front passenger's side
airbag has been turned off.
m
A rollover sensor that can detect if your
vehicle is about to roll over and signal the
control unit to deploy both side curtain
airbag.

41
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
Airbags can pose serious hazards. To do their job, airbags must inflate with
tremendous force. So, while airbags help save lives, they can cause minor injuries,
sometimes even fatal ones if occupants are not wearing their seat belts properly and
sitting correctly.
What you should do: Always wear your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as
far back from the steering wheel as possible while allowing full control of the
vehicle. A front passenger should move their seat as far back from the dashboard as
possible.
Remember, however, that no safety system can prevent all injuries or deaths that
can occur in a severe crash, even when seat belts are properly worn and the airbags
deploy.
Do not place hard or sharp objects between yourself and a front airbag.
Carrying hard or sharp objects on your lap, or driving with a pipe or other sharp
object in your mouth, can result in injuries if your front airbag inflates.
Do not attach or place objects on the front airbag covers. Objects on the
covers marked ”SRS AIRBAG” could interfere with the proper operation of the
airbags or be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone if the airbags inflate.■
Important facts about your airbags
1Important facts about your airbags
Do not attempt to deactivate your airbags. Together,
airbags and seat belts provide the best protection.
When driving, keep hands and arms out of the
deployment path of the front airbag by holding each
side of the steering wheel. Do not cross an arm over
the airbag cover.

42
uuAirbagsuTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of AirbagsYour vehicle is equipped with three types of airbags:
•Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver's and front passenger's seats.
•Side airbags: Airbags in the driver's and front passenger's seat-backs.
•Side curtain airbags: Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.Front Airbags (SRS)The front SRS airbags inflate in a moderate to severe frontal collision to help protect
the head and chest of the driver and/or front passenger.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicates that the airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant's primary
restraint system.
The front airbags are housed in the center of the steering wheel for the driver, and
in the dashboard for the front passenger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.■
Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the ignition switch
is in ON
(w
.
1Front Airbags (SRS)
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags
(SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped with dual-stage, multiple-
threshold front airbags (SRS).
During a frontal crash severe enough to cause one or
both front airbags to deploy, the airbags can inflate
at different rates, depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts are latched, and/
or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries in frontal
crashes.

Continued
43
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
Front airbags are designed to inflate during moderate-to-severe frontal collisions.
When the vehicle decelerates suddenly, the sensors send information to the control
unit which signals one or both front airbags to inflate.
A frontal collision can be either head-on or angled between two vehicles, or when a
vehicle crashes into a stationary object, such as a concrete wall.
While your seat belt restrains your torso, the
front airbag provides supplemental protection
for your head and chest.
The front airbags deflate immediately so that
they won't interfere with the driver's visibility
or the ability to steer or operate other
controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation is so fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until they see them lying in front of them.■
Operation
■
How the Front Airbags Work
1How the Front Airbags Work
After a front airbag inflates in a crash, you may see
what looks like smoke. This is actually powder from
the airbag's surface. Although the powder is not
harmful, people with respiratory problems may
experience some temporary discomfort. If this occurs,
get out of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Although the driver's and front passenger's airbags
normally inflate within a split second of each other, it
is possible for only one airbag to deploy. This can
happen if the severity of a collision is at the margin,
or threshold, that determines whether or not the
airbags will deploy. In such cases, the seat belt will
provide sufficient protection, and the supplemental
protection offered by the airbag would be minimal.

45
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
Your front airbags have advanced features to help reduce the likelihood of airbag
related injuries to smaller occupants.
The driver's advanced front airbag system
includes a seat position sensor.
If the seat is too far forward, the airbag
inflates with less force, regardless of the
severity of the impact.
The passenger's advanced front airbag system
has weight sensors.
Although Honda recommends against
carrying an infant or small child in front, if the
sensors detect the weight of a child (up to
about 65 lbs or 29 kg), the system will
automatically turn off the passenger's front
airbag.■
Advanced Airbags
1Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver's seat position
sensor, the SRS indicator will come on and the airbag
will inflate with full (normal) force, regardless of the
driver's seating position.
For both advanced front airbags to work properly:•Do not spill any liquid on or under the seats.•Do not put any object under the passenger’s seat.•Make sure any objects are positioned properly on
the floor. Improperly positioned objects can
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.•All occupants should sit upright and wear their seat
belts properly.•Do not place any cover over the passenger side
dashboard.
Make sure the floor mat behind the front passenger’s
seat is hooked to the floor mat anchor. An improperly
placed mat can interfere with the advanced airbag
sensors.
2Floor Mats P. 386
Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor
Passenger’s
Seat
Weight
Sensors

46
uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
Safe Driving
Side AirbagsThe side airbags help protect the upper torso of the driver or a front passenger
during a moderate to severe side impact.
The side airbags are housed in the outside
edge of the driver's and passenger's seat-
backs.
Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG.
When the sensors detect a moderate-to-
severe side impact, the control unit signals the
side airbag on the impact side to immediately
inflate.■
Housing Locations
1Side Airbags
Do not attach accessories on or near the side airbags.
They can interfere with the proper operation of the
airbags, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.
If the impact is on the passenger side, the airbag
deploys even if there is no passenger’s in the
passenger seat.
Do not cover or replace the front seat-back covers
without consulting a dealer.
Improperly replacing or covering front seat-back
covers can prevent your side airbags from properly
deploying during a side impact.
Housing
Location
■
Operation
When
inflated
Side
Airbag